When Is It Time To Blanket?

[pasolovr]

As a Florida Cracker, I have been totally unused to this long cold spell we have had. Although I have had horses on and off for the last 25 years, I have never blanketed until this last week. My question is....when do you know if blanketing is necessary, and if you do blanket, how long should you leave the blanket on, etc. Is there any rule of thumb to go by as far as temperature or????

Thanks!

[Terri]

I think it depends on the horse. I haven't blanketed at all this winter, and it has been REALLY cold. But my guys have very furry coats and plenty of padding. If I notice them shivering I will toss a blanket on. On really cold nights (windy and low teens or less) I might bring them in the barn. They have access to the shelter 24/7. What you really have to watch for is high wind or cold rain. I find my horses are more likely to shiver in a 35 degree rain, than in a 10 dry day. Someone once told me that horses can tolerate cold or wind or rain, but not any combination of two of the three. On the odd times I do toss a blanket on, I'll take it off when two of the 3 factors are gone.

[SandyMM]

I'm with you on the 2 out of 3.... except once ours go on, they stay on - with occasional airing out unless it gets above 50+. I haven't had a horse sweat yet, but just keeping dry has been a lifesaver for several I'm sure.... It should warm up after tomorrow, but we're due for rain and near freezing weather next week.... grrrr.... I may eventually go with rain sheets... but right now the blankets are working great... and t he horses stay _so_ much cleaner! ;)

[Terri]

above 50? O gee, I don't ever leave them on above 20. And putting them on at all is pretty rare. I like to leave them naked as much as possible, their fur does a better job of insulating than blankets do. When you put a blanket on, it compresses the fur down and even rubs fur off. I only put on a blanket if a horse is shivering and then only long enough to give him some hay and help him to warm back up. Usually by then the sun is up and the blanket off.

[SandyMM]

The problem here is the 2 out of 3 thing.... and the ground that stays wet long after the rain. At least when they lay down the blanket keeps them a bit drier than without.... If we had dry snow, dry ground - no problem, but the cold and wet is a problem here... and several older horses....

[Terri]

oh, true!

[CarolU]

I agree with Terry's post. If the horses have good shelter they (even southern horses) won't need blankets unless it is below 20. Give them more HAY. If they are still shivering 10 minutes after being fed, I'd think about blanketing that horse.

I have an IR mare here I blanket. I use the 20-30 rule...if it's going to drop below 20 I blanket. I take it off when it gets above 30. This horse has ZILCH for a winter coat.

She does have dry ground to lie on, but I wouldn't use that as a decision maker/braker. I've seen horses stand for days on end when it's really wet. They don't need to lay down to sleep.

[Monty]

So far we haven't had to blanket for years - all have heavy coats and are easy keepers. And they decide when they need to go into a run-in . And that can drive you nuts - when you "think" they would be in there due to the weather - they aren't! LOL
Now , if a horse is sick or has problems - I would do it .
I swear - even if there is only a 6 inch spot of mud - Monty WILL lay there :(
We have one horse I have never seen lay down - they lock their knees and sleep standing up.
We give extra hay when it is zero or below - or the windchill is bad - even if the temps aren't .

[Terry Wallace]

WIND....this is what horses cannot tolerate if it is cold or wet.

The law in our state is that horses must be provided with windbreaks...either natural ones like groups of trees, or man made ones like I have here.
The horses must be able to get next to something that will block the wind when they need it.

There is no law requiring a "roof" over a horse's head!

We have a big barn and out buildings. It gets 10-20 below zero here..which if there is no wind...horses tolerate with ease temps like that (winters are very dry here...no or low humididty). I have not blanketed a horse in years. The only one I ever did was a horse that came from the Carolina coast and didn't have any winter hair coat.

Horses here will run, play and stand out in ten below zero weather....when the barn is wide open and they can go inside any time they choose.

We do feed just a little extra hay in very cold times..but remember that you must increase that hay 24 hours BEFORE the cold hits (and then continue it while temps are cold) so that the horse may benefit from the extra fermentation for generating internal heat.

During winter here is when vets see the highest number of colics as well intended people tend to feed too much hay & grain in an effort to keep horses warmer, so be careful how much you increase feed from your usual amount.

[DSDECKERT]

20 or below (or excessive wind), the mare gets a blanket - she's older, skinny and shivers

Below 10 - the boys get a blanket - I usually bring them in and take it off for afternoon turnout

We've had a really cold winter, and the horses are super fuzzy this year, Jochi's legs look like a Yak! Bianca's neck on the offside of mane is SUPER long. It's going to be a fun shedding season :-(

I don't blanket in the barn at all, even when it drops down to 20. I figure they are out of the elements and wind, so they need to suck it up!

I do have tank heaters outside in the troughs and heated buckets in the barn, I have friends in Wisconsin who have lost horses to colic this winter because it's been so cold and they aren't drinking enough (she has a creek, and has had to go out and break the ice off every day - of course the horses aren't drinking that COLD water!).

[PNYGRL]

I am in the military and my last duty station was Tok, Ak. It got to 78 degrees below 0. Very few people blanketed their horses even though they spent 24/7 outdoors. But the horses are used to that kind of weather. My horses I blanket anytime we have a quick drop in tempature. If it is windy but not too cold I put a sheet on just as a wind breaker.

[SandyMM]

I think that different areas of the country have distinctly different climates as well as owners having different housing arrangements for their horses. Individual horses themselves may have different needs due to age, health, etc. It is impossible to say one method works for all... I think the best we can do is to assess what works best for our horses' needs and health and go by that. Here, we're more likely to to have high humidity, freezing rain, and wind followed by days of intermittent freeze, thaw, mud, and generally miserable conditions... :)

[pnalley]

For me if they have no shelter and it rains (in winter). At anytime if they are visibly shaking. Or an older or possibly ill horse

[motorgypsy]

Don't think that I think horses have to have sheets and blankets. Many don't. But when it gets cold they have to eat more which costs more. Any horse that is shivering gets a blanket or sheet for sure though

Below 50 at night the turnout sheets go on and stay on until it goes below freezing at night. Then the medium weight blankets go on and stay on until it's above freezing with no wind or rain at night for an extended period. Yes more hay works for many but I can't afford more hay. Hay is pure gold and using sheets and blankets reduces feed costs and in Florida by using sheets and blankets they adapt better to the heat in the summer. The same in SC. In FL I don't use blankets as much. I'll use heavy weight blankets in SC when we have 33 degrees and rain and wind. We don't get that in FL. It's cold or it rains but it's not very cold and rainy and windy so no need for a heavy blanket here and rarely medium weight blankets.